PORTLAND, Ore. – With just nine active players available – including a graduate assistant coach activated this week – the Portland Pilots had chances late but ultimately fell short in a 75-69 loss to the Saint Mary's Gaels Saturday at Chiles Center. Joel Foxwell matched a season high with 27 points and James O'Donnell was 9-for-9 from field with 18 points to lead the Pilots (10-12, 3-6 WCC).
Foxwell, the five-time WCC Freshman of the Week, put out another memorable performance with his seventh 20-point game of the season. He added five assists and three rebounds. Cameron Williams also reached double figures with 10 points and five rebounds.
Portland was without starters Mikah Ballew and Matus Hronsky due to illness, while five other Pilots remained injured and unavailable. Sam Noland, a Tualatin High School and Pacific Lutheran graduate who has been with the Pilot staff for two seasons, was activated and made his Division I debut with a minute of action off the bench in the first half.
The Pilots outscored Saint Mary's 14-9 off turnovers, 32-30 in the paint and 10-7 in second chance points, but the Gaels (19-3, 8-1) gained a 36-26 rebounding edge. Portland shot 43.6 percent from the field compared to 45.5 percent for Saint Mary's.
Paulius Murauskas, the WCC's leading scorer, finished with 24 points and nine rebounds for the Gaels.
How it Happened
After falling behind 38-28, Portland went on a 6-0 run with 48 seconds left in the first half, culminating in a three from Foxwell, to narrow its deficit to 38-34, a score that would hold until halftime.
Saint Mary's widened its lead after intermission, constructing a 44-36 advantage before Portland went on a 7-0 run, finished off by NaVaughn Long's three, to shrink the deficit to 44-43 with 15:35 to go in the contest. Foxwell drilled a three to tie it at 48, but the Pilots were never able to get over the hump down the stretch.
Dillon Shaw made it 63-56 Saint Mary's with a jumper but the Pilots battled back and made it a 70-69 deficit after a Garrett Nuckolls three-pointer with 2:08 left. Portland had two chances to take the lead down one but missed on a pair of threes and then Shaw drilled a clutch triple at the end of the shot clock for a 73-69 edge with 12 seconds left and Portland was unable to convert at the other end.
Game Notes
» Joel Foxwell, James O'Donnell, and Cameron Williams combined to account for 80 percent of the Pilots points.
» The Portland bench came alive by adding 21 points to its scoring output.
» Joel Foxwell led the Pilots with a game-high 27 points.
» Portland got a team-high six rebounds from Jermaine Ballisager Webb.
Up Next
The Pilots will be on the road next week with a game at Pacific on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before visiting Washington State on Saturday at 3 p.m.
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